Crime Briefs

A 34-year-old man from York County has been accused of inappropriately touching a woman while posing as a police officer.

John M. Cannella of Rowe Drive was arrested Wednesday by investigators from the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office, with the assistance of the Poquoson Police Department, sheriff's office spokesman Sgt. Dennis Ivey said.

He was charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer and assault and battery.

Ivey said Cannella was arrested for an incident on the evening of Oct. 30 last year.

"The suspect allegedly directed the victim to pull to the side of a highway as their vehicles were traveling side by side in York County. During this exchange it is alleged that Cannella presented himself as a law enforcement officer and inappropriately touched the victim," Ivey said.

PORTSMOUTH

Teacher charged in assault of two girls

A middle school teacher has been charged with aggravated sexual battery of two girls at the Portsmouth school he works at.

Police spokeswoman Janice Westerbeck said detectives from the special victims unit charged Neil Jonathan Dennis, 30, with two counts of aggravated sexual battery, related to two separate incidents on Tuesday. He was arrested by Virginia Beach police officers Wednesday.

Police say Dennis, who is an English teacher at Waters Middle School, approached a female student in the hallway of the school on Nov. 14. last year.

Westerbeck said the school resource officer investigated a second incident on Dec. 17 involving Dennis and another female student.